© Handout Handout images and CCTV footage of 26 year-old Delano Burkes, who went missing 1/13/22 in Houston, Texas.
Devastated relatives searching for missing man Delano Burkes fear that their story may have the saddest of endings, after the discovery of a body in the Port of Houston.
The 26-year-old real estate investor disappeared after a night out with friends in the Heights area of the Texas city in the early hours of November 13.
The port is some 15 miles from where he was last seen.
On Monday, Houston Police Department revealed that a body had been recovered in the Houston Ship Channel on Friday morning.
The force’s dive team recovered the remains after the body was spotted by somebody in a tug boat, KHOU 11 reported.
Burkes’ mother Karen Jeffley told local news channel ABC 13 that her distraught family believes that it was their loved one who was pulled from the water. While Fox 26 also reported that Burkes’ family had been informed he had been found dead.
BREAKING: According to family members, the body of missing 26-year-old Delano Burkes was found Friday floating in the water at the Port of Houston. Burkes was last seen leaving a bar in the Heights on Nov. 13th, about 15 miles from where his body was located. #houston pic.twitter.com/MnRsA0qaYo
— Matthew Seedorff (@MattSeedorff) November 28, 2022
Officials have not revealed whether they suspect foul play or whether the incident was the result of a tragic accident.
HPD’s Homicide Unit is investigating, according to KHOU 11, but that is standard procedure whenever there is a death associated with a missing person’s case.
Newsweek has reached out to Houston Police Department and Burkes’ family.
On Monday night, Burkes’ aunt Tedi Jeffley (who has been desperately trying to raise awareness during the search for her nephew on Facebook) simply posted: “Father God, please, continue to watch over my family at this time, cover us father God. In Jesus mighty name.”
Friends and relatives replied saying they were praying for the family and sending their condolences.
Burkes’ wife Autumn Burkes had last week set up a GoFundMe page to help fund the search for him and also help the family financially as they struggled with bills in his absence.
Texas EquuSearch founder Tim Miller, who had helped in the hunt for Burkes, told KHOU 11 that the family had feared the worst after hearing about the discovery of a body. He said: “We knew that it was him, but of course, we had to wait for positive ID. Hopefully the investigation will put our speculations behind us and hopefully come out with the truth.”
An autopsy will now attempt to discover the cause of death.
Texas congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee, who had been helping the family by raising awareness of the search, thanked the police for all their efforts.
She told Fox 26: “There may be a lot of information that could help this family have closure, and comfort during this difficult time. We want to ask people to continue help us find out what happened to Delano Burkes,” the channel reminded viewers.
The sad development comes two weeks after Burkes vanished. Fears for his safety grew after CCTV footage showed him apparently running through the streets “in distress.”
Burkes was with friends who pulled over so he could use the bathroom at McIntyre’s Bar near West 19th Street, but he didn’t return and they eventually left without him. But video footage shows him leaving the bar shortly after 1 a.m. and running later in the night, while at points he appeared to be stumbling or limping.
Crime Stoppers of Houston offered a $5,000 reward for information and Burkes’ out-of-character disappearance had sparked a huge search, in which many family members and friends participated.
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